If you’ve noticed hawks lurking around your home recently, you may be wondering why these birds of prey seem so interested in your property. Hawks can be alarming visitors, but there are usually understandable reasons behind their behavior.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Hawks may be hanging around your house because there is an abundant food source drawing them in, like smaller birds or rodents around your home. They also could be nesting or roosting nearby.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore all the main reasons hawks may be frequently visiting your yard, provide tips on how to discourage them humanely, and explain when hawk sightings could be a cause for concern.
Common Types of Hawks Found Around Houses
Red-Tailed Hawks
The red-tailed hawk is one of the most widespread and common hawk species found in North America. They are large birds of prey, with adults reaching lengths of 18-25 inches and weights of 2-4 pounds. Red-tailed hawks are most easily identified by their reddish-brown tails, which give them their name.
These powerful predators thrive in open areas around human dwellings, like fields, parks, and backyards. Their adaptability allows them to live comfortably near people.
Red-tailed hawks are skilled hunters that prey on rodents, rabbits, and other small mammals. A red-tailed hawk may frequent a neighborhood because ample prey surrounds the area. They often perch on vantage points like telephone poles or roof edges while hunting.
Backyard bird feeders also attract rodents and birds that red-tailed hawks may prey upon. These hawks help control pest populations but sometimes create unease for homeowners not used to seeing raptors near their houses.
Cooper’s Hawks
Cooper’s hawks are swift forest-dwelling raptors found across most of North America. Adults reach 14-20 inches in length with wingspans around 2.5 feet. Their size allows them to maneuver through dense vegetation with ease during hunts.
Unlike the widespread red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawks thrive in wooded suburban and urban areas. They were once called “chicken hawks” for their prowess at catching backyard poultry.
A Cooper’s hawk may take up residence near a house surrounded by trees that provide good cover for ambushing prey. They mostly hunt small birds like jays, doves, and robins by lurking stealthily in dense foliage.
Backyards with multiple bird feeders attract the small birds that Cooper’s hawks prey on. Homeowners may spot these secretive hawks prowling through their yards much more than actually witnessing them hunting.
Seeing missing birds and finding piles of feathers are clues that a Cooper’s hawk may be around.
Sharp-Shinned Hawks
The sharp-shinned hawk is a small falcon-like woodland hawk with short wings and a long rudder-like tail. Adults reach lengths of just 9-13 inches but have wing spans over 20 inches. Their small size allows them to maneuver through tangled woods and dense brush with amazing agility.
Like the Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawks heavily favor wooded suburban areas. They were also known as “bird hawks” for their expertise at catching small songbirds.
Sharp-shinned hawks frequently hunt in backyards with feeders that attract small birds. They use surprise attack ambush tactics to grab unsuspecting birds. Their presence around homes is usually only known by disappearing feeder birds and piles of feathers left behind.
Sharp-shinned hawks are so stealthy they are rarely observed actually hunting by backyard homeowners. These tiny terrors are a bane to backyard bird lovers as they can quickly depopulate a feeder of songbirds in just a few days.
Reasons Hawks Hang Around Houses and Yards
Abundant Food Source
Hawks are attracted to houses and yards due to the bountiful food sources available. Squirrels, mice, voles, rabbits, snakes, lizards, frogs, and insects like grasshoppers make tasty meals for hawks. They scout for this prey in lush landscaping, garden beds, woodpiles, trees, and shrubs.
Access to bird feeders and chicken coops also draw hawks near homes hoping for an easy bite to eat.
Nesting or Roosting Nearby
If ideal nesting or roosting sites exist on or near a property, hawks may frequent the area more often. Hawks nest in the spring in large trees, on telephone poles, or atop buildings. Favorite roosting spots used for resting, preening, eating prey, and shelter include dense trees, secluded areas, and protected nooks on houses, barns, or sheds.
If they’ve claimed your yard or structures for these purposes, sightings will increase.
Unusual Weather Patterns
When unusual weather hits like severe storms, flooding, wildfires, droughts, or bitterly cold temperatures, hawks may venture into neighborhoods seeking refuge and food sources. These abnormal conditions can temporarily displace hawks from their typical habitat, so they explore new areas like backyards to survive until normal weather resumes.
Unintentional Feeding
Sometimes homeowners unintentionally provide food sources that appeal to hawks by failing to clean up pet food, overflowing bird feeders, unsecured trash cans, compost piles, or neglecting to pick ripe fruit or vegetables from gardens.
These easily accessible food bonanzas can lure hawks closer to houses. Practicing smart yard maintenance and removing these attractants cuts down on hawk sightings.
How to Discourage Hawks Humanely
Remove Food Sources
The main reason hawks come near homes is to hunt for food. By removing food sources around your property, you can discourage hawks from taking up residence. Here are some tips:
- Clean up fallen fruit and seed debris from around trees and bird feeders.
- Stop feeding birds until hawks leave the area. Bird feeders often attract rodents and small birds that hawks prey on.
- Secure garbage cans and compost bins. Leftover meats and food scraps can draw hawks looking for an easy snack.
- Install wildlife-proof fencing and netting over fish ponds or poultry runs to protect hawk prey.
Deter Nesting
Without appropriate nesting spots, hawks are less likely to stick around. Here’s what you can do:
- Trim branches and vegetation around roofs or balconies where hawks may nest.
- Install spike strips or slope boards on ledges, roof peaks, or lamp posts preferred for nesting.
- String parallel wires above entrance ways to prevent hawks from gaining a foothold.
- Cover window wells and block access to crawl spaces, attics, and other cavities appealing as nest sites.
Scare Tactics
Although hawks avoid humans, several humane scare devices can hasten their departure. For best results, vary tactics every few days.
- Use predator decoys like fake owls or rubber snakes to mimic natural enemies.
- String pie pans or old CDs above nests or roosts so they clatter in the breeze.
- Install ultrasonic or motion-activated sprinklers to startle hawks landing in yards.
- Apply non-toxic bird repellent gel on ledges or roof peaks to irritate hawks’ feet.
With persistence and preventative measures, property owners can successfully evict hawks without harm. But in some cases, professional relocation may be needed for stubborn raptors attempting to nest in poor locations year after year.
Contact wildlife control centers for humane trapping if other methods fail.
Signs of Danger or Unusual Hawk Behavior
Bold or Aggressive Actions
Hawks exhibiting bold or aggressive behavior around your home can be a serious concern. This may include swooping at people or pets, attacking window screens or vehicles, or showing little fear of humans. Some specific signs to watch for include:
- Dive-bombing or physically striking humans or pets
- Repeatedly banging into windows
- Ripping screens or attacking outdoor furniture
- Snatching up small pets from the yard
- Standing its ground or challenging people who get too close
This kind of behavior is not normal and indicates the hawk feels its territory is threatened. Healthy hawks generally avoid contact with people. Aggressive hawks may have become habituated to humans or are protecting nests or food sources nearby.
Immediate action should be taken before someone gets injured.
Unafraid of Humans
Hawks that appear oblivious to human presence may also signal trouble. Most hawks instinctively keep their distance from people. If one seems unnaturally comfortable around your home, it likely means the hawk has lost its fear of humans.
Warning signs include a hawk that:
- Lands on a patio while you’re present
- Follows very closely overhead as you walk outside
- Boldly suns itself on your roof or fence
- Sits in a tree staring at you through the window
- Approaches when called or whistled to
This brazen behavior suggests the hawk is associating your yard with ready food sources. It may have been intentionally fed by people or is finding ample prey, like backyard chickens or unattended small pets.
It’s important to startle hawks away and remove any attractants before habituation escalates into aggression.
Repeated Divebombing
Seeing a hawk snatch its prey on the wing is thrilling for birdwatchers. However, repeated divebombing at your home is cause for worry. This aerial harassment is meant to scare away perceived threats. The swooping attacker may be a nesting parent or a hawk defending a favorite perch or hunting ground.
Frequent divebombing indicates it’s time to convince the hawk to move on before someone gets hurt.
Here are some tips if you’re experiencing repeated hawk divebombs:
- Never look up at the hawk, which can trigger more attacks.
- Wave arms overhead to appear more threatening.
- Carry an open umbrella to fend off strikes.
- Attach hawk kites or balloons to your roof.
- Play distress calls to annoy the hawk away.
- Trim trees giving the hawk a perch for surprise attacks.
Taking action to disrupt the hawk’s patterns can restore normal fear of humans and send it looking elsewhere. Persistent hawks may require relocating nests or professional wildlife control.
Stalking Small Pets
Having your beloved hamster or parakeet carried off is a heartbreaking loss. Some prey-driven hawks become focused on easy pickings and repeatedly target caged pets kept outdoors. Stalking behavior shows these brazen birds have mapped your home as a food source and must be deterred.
Signs your small pets may be at risk include:
- Feathers or animal remains found around the cage
- Damaged enclosure roof or torn screening
- High-pitched alarm calls from pet when outside
- Shadow suddenly passing over the cage
- Missing pets during out-of-cage playtime
Protect pets by moving cages indoors or into screened porches. Supervise outdoor exercise periods. Install roof and side cage covers to thwart aerial attacks. Scare off hawks with loud noises or water sprayed from a hose. Eliminating this easy source of food will encourage hawks to hunt elsewhere.
Conclusion
While having hawks frequent your yard too often can be disruptive, in most cases it is no cause for alarm. With some DIY hawk deterrents and removal of food sources, you can usually convince hawks to move on safely.
By understanding common hawk species and typical hawk behavior around the home, you can better know if their presence warrants true concern. If hawks exhibit aggressive tendencies or attack pets, professional help may be needed.
Usually, the reasons for hawks lingering nearby are harmless. But implementing humane hawk control measures will likely encourage them to hunt elsewhere and bring back peace to your property!
